Where I Belong
by KTutt
Summary: (ModAU) She's never really belonged anywhere,that part was abundantly d now apparently she really didn't belong randed without her luggage and belongings,sitting on a freezing cold bench and snowing.Oh,&in a foreign country. She Just wanted to Find her Family,if she had a family. Will one Act of Random Kindness get her closer to it? should I continue?let me know


**Where I belong **

Well. This is just Fine Luck.  
>Of course its getting dark, now. Because thats what happens in Winter. It gets darker earlier than usual. which is stupid. why does the earth have to rotate so far away from the sun at the same time the daylight hours are constricted. Its ballist!<p>

Actually, what's ballist is sitting on a metal bus stop bench, in the dead of January, in the snow. And being in a foreign country doesn't help either. Astrid shivered and rubbed one of her bare arms with a gloveless hand and tucked the other underneath her arm pit to keep at least one part of her body warm. Her teeth chattered as yet another cold blast of wind stung her eyes and bit her nose.

_Ballist._

Short for Ballistic, as she learned from a girl in the Airport during her Layover flight from New York during Christmas. The flights were delayed due to the snowstorm that had unfortunately hit and they stayed at Gate for almost fifteen hours so that they might board first to their flight to Norway. That was when she had her coat, of course.

_And Astrid thought that _New York_ was cold. _

A car blew past, and a wave of slush came crashing down onto the poor American Tourist. She screamed and failed to block the onslaught of the black water. Astrid gasped and choked from the shock of the water, her blonde hair and her short sleeved blue green shirt and jeans were now wet and covered with a thin layer grimy ice water- _and there goes some snow down her shirt_ ! She sniffed and shivered, wishing that she had her suitcase with her, and wondering where in Oslo it could have been taken to. Astrid shivered again and pulled her knees in, rocking and hoping to get a little warmer. She sniffled. Her coat had her hat and gloves in one pocket and her cellphone and passport in the other. Her computer bag had her notebook, her chargers and cords, her laptop, camera, her wallet and her travel guide.

A cough covered a sob, she was stranded in the middle of a country she didn't know and there was no one around- why would there be? The locals were smart enough to not be outside in this weather, they're all probably home eating dinner with their families.

_Family._

That's why Astrid was here. She wanted to find her family, or rather have a sense of her family. She had only found out her maiden name in October - _Hofferson_. Its definatly not the worst last name, and through some research on the library computer, she found out that _Hofferson_ was had the most hits in Norway. At once she quit her shitty job as a waitress at the Bar, took all of her money and bought one way ticket to Oslo. And at the moment she regrets this idea almost entirely. She didn't know what to expect, or what she was expecting.

What? Did she think that her family might have been looking for some long-lost-great-granddaughter or something and they would just find each other, have a family by Christmas-day, and live happily ever after? Because for some reason Astrid didn't think of the possibility that she would end up with nothing. A pure gut decision, and right now she hated herself for it and has never hated anything more in the world.

Actually, thats a lie. She hates her old boss for making her work ridiculous shifts at The Bar, and how those shifts barely let her go to the community college- much less get her homework done. She hated every man who had ever walked into the Bar, pulling on her clothes and trying to get her to sit in their lap and causing her to spill beer everywhere. She hates the outrageous tips that she got in hopes that she would "return the favor" the next time the customer came. And at the top of her list at the moment - save her parents abandoning her in a dumpster in the California sun when she was a year old - was the asshole who stole her bags back at the airport. She had just got off the plane was about to sit down and rest her eyes for five minutes, because she couldn't sleep on planes and semi- hated those who could, and the next thing she heard was someone running off with her luggage. She briefly thanked her high school track career as she sprinted after the thief, screaming and yelling for help- even getting most of the airport securities' attention and chasing after him! But he was just slightly faster, and Astrid continues to sprint after him...only to end up at a random bus stop. Her body hurt, she hadn't eaten since New York - should she count a starbucks croissant and a tall latte as a meal? And this Jet Lag was brutal. Its tomorrow for her- today? Yesterday? What time is it here anyway? Astrid peeked her eyes up to glance around the square she was in. The shops and cafes where all closed and it was extremely dark, so it must be late. Ignoring the sting in her eyes and the tears leaving clean lines on either side of her face, Astrid couldn't help but somewhat admire the white lights that were still out from the holiday. It must have been beautiful, to be here for the Holidays. Do Norwegians celebrate Thanksgiving? _Probably not. _Not that Astrid has ever had a Thanksgiving aside from the turkey and jelly sandwiches and baked potato she got all throughout elementary and middle school- didn't she have it in pre-school too? Suddenly Astrid was willing to do anything for a Dixie cup of Hot Apple Juice as she tucked herself back into her little ball, and coughed again. She shivered madly and felt the temperature drop what seemed like another 10 degrees. She hiccuped and it turned into a fit of coughing… _great, what else_?

Something suddenly clasped onto her wrist, Astrid screamed, slipping off the bench and swinging her fist at what ever grabbed her. Her head knocked back onto the metal bench with a solid _thwack!_ Once Astrid came back to her senses, she had unfortunately noticed how hard she hit the snowy ground (isn't this stuff supposed to be _soft?!_) and the forming bump on her head.

"What the hell?" She groaned before another fit of coughs threw her throat into the street. _Oooh that hurts her head._ Astrid looked up from her closed fist to see a rather large young man in a brown jacket running away from her! His short blond hair sticking out of his wool hat and a black scarf and snow boots. "No. Wait! Please…!" Astrid called and went into yet another coughing fit. "I'm lost." She croaked and buried her face into her palms, shivering and sniffling more, hiccuping to hide her crying out of habit. She sat down on to the sidewalk (because she _didn't _slip and fall onto the sidewalk, no matter how awful and old her black converse were.) and slipped out a small whimper.

"_Hei_." Someone lightly touched her bicep. Astrid gasped and sapped her head up to look at who it was._ Did the fat boy comeback? _No. It was another boy, or a man, rather. He didn't look that much younger than she was. He was crouching next to her. Astrid shivered audibly as she saw his warm winter attire. He had on a dark green winter jacket and scarf, and a brown beenie that matched his amazingly soft gloves. He gave her a kind gap-toothed smile, one that she failed miserably to return. "_Hei_." He said again.

Astrid opened her mouth, only to have to turn away and cough into her shoulder. "Hey." She replied hoarsely. The boy's smile faltered slightly. Astrid glanced behind his shoulder to see the fat boy shuffling nervously behind them. He met her eye and quickly looked away with a timid squeak. Astrid looked back to the other boy, who had his impossibly warm glove on her forever shaking shoulder. He knit his eyebrows together, like Astrid was some newly discovered animal and he was trying to classify her. _This felt slightly wrong_.

"_Er du godt _?" _What?_

"_Er du godt _?" He repeated, slower this time. Astrid looked across the street as though the store across the street had a translation sheet plastered on to its window. She looked back. The boy shook his head slowly, "_Har du en jakke ?"_ He spoke calmly and slowly, and it was beautifully comforting even though Astrid had absolutely no clue what he was saying.

"_Jakke_." He said, pulling on the sleeve of his own jacket then pointing to Astrid's bare arm. He shrugged dramatically. _He wants to know if I have a jacket?_ Astrid suddenly felt like a child. She obviously didn't have a jacket! She shook her head and scowled.

"_Hvor er jakke din ?_" He pulled on his jacket again, then looked around, and shrugged again. _Where is my jacket? _Astrid sighed and shook her head again, shrugging with her hands up.

_I don't know. _

The boy gave her a questioning look. Astrid pulled on his sleeve. "Stolen" She said as soft as she could so that she would start coughing again. The boy thought for a moment, then smiled. _How is this a good thing?! _

He turned to he messenger bag that Astrid had failed to notice before and pulled out a smooth brown leather bound book and an ink pen. He opened the to the middle of the book and pretended to write in it, "_Tegn_." Astrid quirked an eyebrow, how would writing help her at all? He smiled, then sketched a picture of a jacket and a thick question mark next to it. He turned the book around in his lap to face her and held to pen out.

_Draw._

Astrid lifted her self to a crouch and duck-waddled towards him. She pursed her lips, she defiantly wasn't a very good artist, and his jacket looked too much like some fashion concept art, she would look like a preschooler compared to him! _This is no time for pride, Astrid._ She scolded herself, _Desperate times call for desperate measures._ She reached out for the ink pen, only to drop it with her numb-turning-blue fingers. "Shit!" She slapped the pen to stop it from rolling away...and she wasn't able to pick up the pen with her frozen fingers! The boy gave a breathy laugh and pick up the pen. Astrid hung her head, _Well this wasn't embarrassing_. Astrid felt her hands being pulled. The boy was cupping her hands in his and blew warm air onto them, rubbing them every so often. Astrid felt very tingly. He took his off right glove and pulled it over Astrid's hand, then gave her a different pen from his pocket. Astrid gave a quick nod, saying _Thank you_ and hopefully getting the message across the damn language barrier.

Ok, so how is she going to explain this? She drew a man with a blacked out face taking her luggage. she drew her passport, her books, some clothes (including a jacket), and her electronics around it. She also drew an airplane, hoping that he would understand that it meant airport. The boy put his hand over his mouth in what was possibly shock. Good, so he understood her. Astrid then (badly) drew her self "running" after the thief, then, away from the main drawing, she drew herself standing with a bunch of question marks around her. The boy looked at her with his mouth open and with wide eyes. He took the pen back and began to draw. Astrid noticed something odd about the boy...

"You're left-handed?" Astrid asked, remembering that he couldn't understand her when he looked at her. Astrid bit her chapped lips, then held up her left hand and drew little circles in the air. The boy smiled and nodded, continuing to draw. Astrid tilted her head, hoping that he didn't hear the crackling noise it made, to see what he was drawing. She shivered again and rubbed herself, the boy looked up from his drawing, then tilted it Astrid. A sun, a moon, and clock. Astrid responded with a question mark. She had no idea what time it was here or what time this all had happened!

"_Ta klærne mine_," He said and and took off his other glove and scarf, "_du må være varm_." He took off his hat and was about to give it to Astrid, when she rocked back and held her arm up in a blocking position. Astrid shook her head. The boy frowned, then went back to drawing. when he finished, Astrid saw that it was them! They were sitting on the bus stop bench, Astrid had a scarf and hat on, a jacket was across her shoulders and the boy had his hands on her shoulders. _He wanted her to have his warm things. _

"No." Astrid shook her head.

"_Ja_." The boy nodded.

"No."

"_Ja_."

"No."

"_Ja_."

"No."

"_Vennligst,_"

_Please. _

Astrid felt herself begin to cry, and she turned around. He was being so kind to her, she was a total stranger and a foreigner! Why was he being so nice? "_Finnick ! Kan du hente bilen og ta det her, ja _?" Astrid heard the jingle of keys and assumed that he fat boy tossed him the keys. He was going to leave her. She hiccuped and sniffled. She felt something warm wrap around her. She gasped. The boy was putting his arms around her..._erm-_ put his jacket on her. He turned her around, put her arms through the sleeves, then slid on the other glove, scarf, and hat onto her. Astrid blinked rapidly.

"What about you?" She asked as he rubbed her arms to warm her. He smiled at her, pulling on her arm to sit back down on the bench. He began to draw again.

A car on a road that connected to a house. Astrid looked as his profile, he was quite handsome. Very handsome. His eyes flicked over to her, and Astrid's face suddenly felt a lot warmer. A fire, a bed, some clothes, and a bowl.

"What?" she heard herself whisper

A woman, a Man, a dog, another man. Under them he drew three other boys and a girl. "You...want me to come to your family's house?" Her heart dropped to stomach. The boy frowned, he must have not liked the look she had?

"_Sikker._" He drew a thick plus sign.

"Safe?" Astrid could only guess. Wasn't the Red Cross symbol an international symbol for safety, or something?

"_Mistet_." He pointed to her with the pen, it almost sounded like misfit, "_Hjem._" he pointed to the house. _Did _Hjem _mean house?_

"House." She pointed to the picture of the house. The boy smiled.

"_Hjem." _he pointed to the picture of the house. Astrid smiled at one side of her face. "_Hjem._" he said slower.

"_Yea-hem?" _Astrid tried, the boy smiled and shook his head, pointing to his lips. _Watch my mouth..._

"_Hjem." _he pronounced a little faster, but much clearer

"_Yehm."_ Astrid repeated

"_Ja!" _He smiled widely and put both of his hand up in the air in victory. Astrid smiled back, although it was a tired one. She yawned, and then quickly turned away for another coughing fit. The boy squeezed her arm, she turned to him. He had drawn a boy at the bottom of the page with a speech bubble that had the Norwegian flag in it. Astrid sighed and drew a girl with an American flag.

"_Amerikansk_!" The boy said excitedly. Astrid nodded.

"Yup. I'm American." He blinked, "I mean...uh… ja…?." Oh she knows she butchered that.

"_Engelsk._" He was suddenly very happy, which is odd because usually local people hate foreigners, and especially Americans (at least thats what she's heard).

"Ja." Astrid shivered again. She liked it better when they were drawing, she didn't have to worry about her teeth-rattling ruining what ever butchered form of Norwegian she could get out. He cupped her hands in his and closed the what little space that was between them, rubbing his hands on top of hers as she continued to shiver. Astrid felt another cough build up in her throat and coughed into her chest. The boy tied the scarf tighter around her neck. "Thanks." she sighed, feeling so tired she thought she was going to fall asleep on the boy's shoulder.

"_Velkommen_."He said softly and continued to rub her hands. Astrid had a hard time keeping her eyes open, finding herself leaning forward then jerking herself back up. _Stay awake, Hofferson! _

"_Hikken." _ He pulled on her arms so that they were closer to him. "_Jeg Hikken_."

Astrid's head moves without her consent. she blinks. She breaths in- and then chokes out more coughing into her shoulder. Her arm squeezes around her waist and softly shakes her

_Wait. That's not her arm!_

"Oh my god," She sits up straight and almost slips on the ice before he catches her.

"_Forsiktig_, _forsiktig._" He says almost soothingly. She looks up at him, feeling how wide her burning eyes are. "_Du er i orden . Du er trygg . roe ned._" _What the hell? _ Astrid tried to stand up again, but she was completely numb and she couldn't feel anything from her waist down.

Wait. Norway. She suddenly remembered. She's in Norway. She's an unidentified foreigner in Norway and all of her stuff was stolen. This boy gave her his clothes to wear, and he didn't leave her.

Astrid blinked up to him, unaccustomed to the white light that shone on them. She buried her head into his shoulder, the light hurt her eyes too much. _Was it morning? Did he stay with her all night at the bus stop? Why was he carrying her? Is he talking to her? What the hell is he saying?_ Astrid groaned, which turned into a cough. Voices. There were more voices. A lot more voices. Man. Men. More than one. The boy was calling out to them, they answered back. they came closer. Someone took off her hat and put their _freezing _hand on her forehead. More talking. Astrid coughed again, this one hurt her chest and her throat felt like it was covered in glass shards. More voices. Someone is grabbing her!

_Oh my god! Someone was kidnapping her! _

"No! No, stop, let me go!" She croaked and coughed and kicked and twisted, but who ever was holding her wasn't going to drop her.

"_Du er _okay _, du er trygg. Hold deg rolig _." Said a deeper voice, definitely not the boy who was with her earlier! _Holy crap! Did he sell her off?! _Astrid's body hurt too much to continue to struggle anymore, and her throat was in no shape to scream.

She cried. She shook more out of fear than the cold. She could still hear the Boy's voice, he sounded scared, worried, then she heard a small yelp and a thud.

"Hikken!" Said the voice that held her. Astrid felt herself being lowered onto something warm, and hot air blew onto her face. More voices._ Was she in a car?_ She could hear the engine and feel it running. The voices where coming back. The door next to her slammed shut as another three opened. Something was strapped across her_, a seat belt?_ she heard it click. The boy's voice was back! Everything slowed down. He was next to her. He was holding her. He touched her cheeks, then her forehead. He took off the scarf and Astrid could _feel _the goose bumps forming behind her neck, then the coldness of his hands. More talking. He sounded scared. _Why was he scared? Where they still in danger? _Astrid forced herself to open her eyes and move herself upright. _Oooh this hurts. Very very sore right now._ She groaned and went into another fit of coughs- god she has never coughed so much in her life! She saw his face. He had dark brown hair. He had freckles. He had a scar on the left side of his chin. He was talking. She couldn't understand him.

"Notebook," She unbuckled her seatbelt and started to feel around for his messenger bag, hopefully the they didn't leave in the bench?_ Maybe the kidnappers took it and they're in league with the thief who stole her luggage?_ "I need your notebook!" Astrid tried to make a grab for the boy's side to see if he still had the bag on, but he yelped. Astrid jumped back as though she got burnt. The man who drove the car said something, someone was behind the boy and was laughing! He said something in return to the driver, who slammed onto the breaks! Astrid screamed as she collided into the front seat. "Shit shit shit!" She tried to get her fingers to wrap around the door handel, "Let me out! Let me out!" Astrid pushed all of her weight against the door, nearly toppling out of the car!

"Woah!" The boy grabbed her by the jacket and pulled her back into the car, wrapping both of his arms around her so that she couldn't move that well. Someone else reached across her and shut the door, there was a solid click of the locks. _Locked? Locked? No no no! _Astrid shoved herself into the boy's chest and broke down into a fit of hiccups and coughs and tears that she did not permit to fall as she fisted his warm brown long sleeve shirt. The man in the driver's seat was still yelling. The boy's arms wrapped tighter around her. "_Stopp ,Pappa , du skremmer henne_."

_Stop. Papa.._wait. _Papa as in _Dad?!

"Papa?" Astrid croaked, coughing only twice.

"_Ja_," the boy unwrapped one arm and pointed to the man driving the car, who was silenced immediately by his son's outburst. "_Pappa_." Astrid nodded, still holding on to the boy. He was so warm and she was still freezing. She shivered. The boy looked down at her and rubbed her arms furiously until she started to feel pins and needles in her upper body. She looked up and saw another boy with rather long blond hair in dreadlocks. She glanced up at her human blanket and pointed to the blond boy in dreadlocks. He smiled and the boy in dreadlocks waved to her.

"Tomas." The boy with Dreadlocks said and pointed to himself, seeming very proud of his name. Astrid smiled and nodded, she was still shivering. Tomas' smile faulted a little. He said something rapidly in Norwegian, and _Pappa _urged the car to go faster. Tomas then asked the boy something, who pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. _Uff, he's still cold. _Astrid pulled off the gloves and handed them to the boy. He said something to his father, sounding very nervous. Another boy in the passenger seat said something to the driver (who seemed angry) then to Tomas, then the Driver yelled at them. Astrid guessed that he just told them all to shut up. She heard one word over and over again this whole ride. _Hjem. _At least she thinks she did. Without the boy speaking slowly, she couldn't understand when when word started and when the other ended.

"Yehm?" she asked quietly to the boy, both where still holding eachother. Astrid focused on breathing slowly and keeping warm, for some reason these boys-men- got really nervous when ever she coughed or shivered. _Oh god, they better _not _be germaphobes_! Astrid hates germaphobes.

"_Ja, Hjem._" He said, then looked up to his father. He said something about _Mamma _and _Telefonen_. His father narrowed his eyes, probably questioning his son's request. The Boy then said something about American and English. His father nodded and said something to the passenger, who handed the Boy a black iPhone with a number already punched in and calling. Once the phone reached the boy's ear, he started talking. After a while of talking and silence, he handed the phone to Astrid. She must have given some look because he pushed the phone to her ear, "_snakke._" _Talk._

"Umm, Hello?"

"Hello darling" A sweet accent came through the other line.

"Oh my god! English!" Astrid smiled and barely controlled her next coughing fit.

"Yes, my dear," said the woman kindly, "I speak english." The woman laughed and Astrid couldn't help but smile, "Now, why don't you tell me what has happened- aside from what Hikken has told you."

"Hikken?" The boy's hand patted her leg, he pointed to himself and nodded estatactly.

"Yes, my son," the Woman said, she was obviously smiling, "He's the one who found you at the bus stop.

"Oh! Yes, okay!" Astrid nodded to show _Hikken _ that she knew who he was now.

"What you mean he didn't tell you his name before he-"

"In all honesty, ma'am, I only know one person's name and that's my own- oh and Tomas."

"Oh, goodness, how stupid of me-"

"No no no, its fine, really." Astrid attempted to laugh, but the coughs that she had been holding back broke out, "Ehm, sorry."

"Goodness, sweetheart-" Astrid has never been called _sweetheart _before - "It's a good thing that you're coming home, that sounds like a nasty cough you have."

"No, please, dont worry about-" more coughing, and half way though Astrid suddenly couldn't breathe and had to slap her chest to regain her airways, "No, nevermind," she groaned and hunched over her knees. "It hurts. A lot."

"What does, sweety?"

"Everything. It hurts to breath, it hurts to talk, my whole body hurts…"

"Sweet heart, calm down, alright." Hikken's mother said soothingly, "Everything is going to be alright."

"No its not! My luggage was stolen with literally everything that i own, I'm lost in a country I know nothing of and-"

"Ssh, it's alright love, We'll just call your parents…" Astrid felt her chest and stomach twist, she physically winced. Hikken cocked his head at her and the car was suddenly very quiet. "...Are you still there, love?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"It's just that-" Astrid had a hard time swallowing the lump in her throat, "That's the reason why I'm in Norway."

"What is, darlin' ?"

"To-to find my family…" there was silence in the other line. "Hello?"

"Yes, Baby, I'm still here."

"I-I wanted to know who my family was, I don't have one, no one wanted me back in the States so…" Astrid hiccuped, quickly facing the direction of the window.

"Once Stoick pulls in I want you to come straight to me, alright?" She suddenly sounded stern, Astrid nodded, assuming that Stoick must be her husband and current driver of this car.

"Yes Ma'am,"

"And you wont make a fuss and be humble and polite, we'll be taking care of you…"

"Oh no, please, you don't have to put yourself through all that-"

"No fussing. Deal?"

"Yes Ma'am," She said slowly, ignoring Stoick's chuckles, "Thank you ma'am."

"Of Course, Baby. I think I see you driving up, I'll meet you in the entryway. Give me back to my son, now, please"

"Yes ma'am" Astrid thought about asking for her not to tell Hikken about her little lack of family, but the wave of sleep swept over her and the iPhone felt like a cement block in her too-weak hand. She slipped her head onto the cool wet glass and handed the heavy brick to Hikken, knowing his concerned look after knowing each other consciously for maybe over an hour. Hikken pulled her back into his chest and Astrid was asleep before her head could hit Hikken's chest.

"Shit," Hikken looked down to the girl who had fallen unceremoniously on his chest.

"Hikken!" His mother gasped.

"No, Mom! I think- I think that she just fainted!" Hikken said the last part louder so that his father could hear, and did he!

"Get to house!" His mother yelled through the phone, and Stoick, seeming to hear his wife, pulled into the long driveway seconds later. Hikken tried to shake the American Girl awake, but she wouldnt move! She had even stopped shivering! _This is bad!_ She was shaking back at the bus stop earlier tonight when she fell asleep…

"Hikken! I'll get the girl, you get your mom!" Tomas said quickly, unbuckling their seatbelts and heaving the girl into his arms. "Shit, She's dead weight!" he puffed and attempted to fix her position, when Stoick swooped in and took the blonde girl from the teen's arms.

"Get Val," he said simply and Tomas, followed closely by Finnick from the front seat, ran into the house. "Sammuel, you and Hikken get into the car and see if you get Doctor-" another white car, not unsimilar to Haddock car, pulled up in the falling snow. A tall man quickly got out of the car and briskly walked to the large white house.

"Bring her inside, quickly," the Man said as he passed Stoick, who adjusted the girl's position before he followed the Doctor with the other boys. A tall woman stood in the open doorway, her red-grey hair was in long braids which she held tightly as the men climbed the stairs. Her eyes flew from her son to the girl that her husband carried, _ooh she did not look well!_

"Hurry, now, all of you, get inside!"

Stoick was almost graceful, Hikken thought as he saw his father move through the large home and placed the girl on the couch. He was able to scale fifteen steps and nearly run across house with a full grown woman in his arms. Hikken's cheeks turned a sharp crimson when he remembered how he wasn't able to hold her for very long back at the stop stop. He might not ever be able be as strong as his father. Hikken kept his eyes trained on the family doctor, who was shooing out his friends while trying to get his equipment ready and getting the Girl undressed..._Wait, what? _

Hikken cleared his throat and was about to join his friends when a strong hand grabbed hold of his collar and stopped him from exiting out the main parlor. It was his mother. Her usually soft blue eyes were now an icy grey, she glared down at her son emotionlessly. _You're staying in here._

_Yes ma'am._

"Doctor, what is?" Hikken's head snapped back at his mother's question, which, consequently, meant that his eyes fell to the blond american girl on his couch.

"I think...I believe she is beginning to wake up." The doctor replied and on cue the girl goaned, rolling over on her side then coughing violently. "Now just a moment, girl," The doctor reached out to hold her straight, "I need you to sit-" She screamed, there was a solid _thud_ and the doctor was on the floor, cradling his jaw. The American Girl tried run to the door, yelling in english. Hikken looked to his mother to see if she would let on what the girl was saying. Well, she certainly was saying something, because Valka looked more shocked and amused compared to his father's frightened face!

The girl barely go to the center of the large parlor when she collapsed, gripping her chest and coughing so hard that her whole body shook. Valka was faster than Hikken-of course- and she rushed to the girl's side, gripping her shoulder and speaking softly in english as the girl continued coughing. Valka looked at the girl and said something to her. Although it didnt sound like a question, the girl shook her head and started wheezing.

"She can't breath!" Valka yelled to the doctor, who was still cradling his jaw. Stoick was suddenly at the girl's side and had her in his arms, carrying her back to the couch.

"Boy!" The doctor called to Hikken, "Get the girl some cold water, be quick!" the doctor sat next to the girl while Valka attempted to calm her in english.

Hikken wasted no time, he ignored Tomas' and Samuel's frightened looks and Finnick's questions as he raced to the kitchen, taking a series of turns through hall ways and short cuts- he had, after all, lived here his whole life. Why wouldnt he know the fastest way to the kitchen from all corners in the house?

Hikken shut the door to the parlor behind him and stayed there a few seconds too long. Her blonde hair was falling from her messy braid. She was hunched over, holding her own hands while the doctor pressed the stethoscope to her back. Oh. and she wasn't wearing a shirt. Hikken kept his eyes trained to group's feet as he walked over to them. He allowed himself to look up to the girl's torn jeans, kneeling and holding the cold glass to her. She didn't take it?

"Mom," he whispered, "does she still need to drink this?"

"No boy!" Boomed the doctor, the girl jumped and her sneaker nearly collided with something important, "She need's to sit up straight, but she refuses to…"

"Give her time, Doctor, she's having trouble breathing." Valka said sternly.

"All the more reason for her to straighten!" The doctor wasn't at all in a good mood, there was a large bruise forming from the bottom right corner of his mouth, extending to the middle of his cheek and his jaw. She must of punched him! Hikken had always held a grudge against the doctor, and he had to stifle a laugh.

Valka spoke softly to the girl, Hikken could hear her weezing and struggling to breath, _how could the doctor not hear that? _

"Tell her to take a deep breath!"

"She can't breath, you idiot!" Hikken growled. The entire room was completely silent. It wasn't like him to get angry. That was the second uncharacteristic outburst this evening, and the grownups where looking at him as though he sprouted another head! Hikken's sudden bravery quickly faded and he needed somewhere else to look at. His eyes were suddenly attracted to a pair of clear blue eyes. Hikken blinked. They blinked back at him.

"Hi," he said softly.

"_Hey_," She croaked.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She blinked. Right. Language barrier. A fat one at that. She murmured something to Valka, she translated, then gave her response to Hikken.

"She wants to thank you for what you have done, and for staying with her."

"Tell her it was my pleasure," He smiled at her, keeping his green eyes on her blues. She said something to Valka, and Valka laughed.

"Yes…" She smiled.

"What did she say?" Hikken asked. His mother's response was giggles. "Mom?" he looked at his mother, who was positively beaming at the girl, then back at Hikken

"Oh, nothing." She said coily, and Hikken shared a look with his father.

"Ask her how she's feeling," Hikken said, "please?" he looked back to his mother. English was exchanged. The American said something, then Valka responded back, and they continued to be in some sort of argument.

"_Fine_." His mother said in english, then turned to her two men, "She said she does not wish to to tell us, because she doesn't want to be a bother."

"Tell her that she's not-"

"Damn right she is!" The doctor grumbled, "Damned Americans, always thinking they're superior! Sit up, Child!" He roughly yanked on the girl's shoulders, forcing her to sit up straighter. The girl yelped in what might have been pain.

"Hey!" Hikken and his family jumped forward at the sound their guest made, and they were met with the girl's hand in front of them, as if saying _stop_ towards them. She took a shallow breath (resulting in coughs), and gave a deadly glare over her shoulder to the doctor.

"_Continue_." English suddenly sounded deadly.

Stoick laughed heartfully, "I like her! She's a strong one!" The girl smiled at Stoick through her dirty hair, apparently a complement is understood in any language.

"Breath." The doctor said curtly, and the girl obeyed as he changed the stethoscope from her back to her chest. Hikken could tell by her chest that she was holding in her coughs-_ not that he was looking at her chest!_ Hikken sat next to his father when the doctor checked the girl's front. He pressed on her neck (she winced), opened her mouth (she refused at first, only to prove her point by letting out a strong coughing fit in the doctor's face. Hikken tried really hard not to laugh), tapped her cheeks and forehead (she glared), and then told her to lie down and pressed down on her stomach and side with his fingertips. The girl grimaced and grunted every so often.

"Tell her to drink." the doctor said bluntly as the girl folded back over her self and held her head.

"Drink," Hikken said and held the cup under her face.

The girl looked up shyly, she nodded and took the cup with shaky fingers, "_Thankyou,_" It was barely a whisper

"Thank you," Valka squeezed the girl's knee as she downed the cup in a painful gulp. The girl punched her own chest, then looked at Valka.

"_What_?" She says that a lot.

"Thank you." Valka said with a gentle smile, then she glanced at Hikken, saying something in english. The girl blushed when Hikken met her eyes. she asked a question and Valka answered slowly and kindly.

"Thank you. Very much. Hikken," she said in halting Norwegian and blushed down to her collar bone.

"You're welcome," he replied, feeling himself blush, the girl smiled and Hikken flushed deeper. The girl stifled a yawn, then covered her coughs, she said something to Valka who nodded. Hikken marveled at how quickly his mother can change expressions based on who she speaks to. Her wide caring eyes narrowed as she spoke bluntly to the doctor. The girl continued to cough, much more violently than ever.

"Well, what is it?" Valka asked sternly. the girl's blue eyes were foggy, she must be sick!

"Pneumonia," The Doctor said bluntly, Hikken felt his stomach churn. "Traveling no doubt. She has all of the symptoms. Coughing, fever, chills, shortness of breath…"

"That could be anything," Stoick interjected, "I want to know if she's-"

"Allow me to finish, Prime Minister," Stoick was taken back and the girl curled her lip in addition to the stink eye she was throwing to the doctor. She spoke and Valka simply gave her a look. The Girl looked away and told the same thing to Hikken something, who nodded even though he had no clue what she had just said.

"Pneumonia is also diagnosed by muscle pain, and weakness. Along with a high fever and a discoloration of the lips…" Hikken turned his head to see the girl's mouth, she had grabbed the glass that she had drank from earlier only to find it drained. She frowned and continued coughing. Hikken noticed that her mouth was slightly bluish, "...Also excessive heart rate and breathing, and great confusion-"

"She was frightened-" Hikken interrupted, the Doctor looked at him with a hint of disgust, then at the girl, the doctor suddenly jumped and quickly looked back to Hikken's parents. The girl smirked.

"Anywho, the girl to be sent back to America immediately-"

"No!" Hikken yelled.

"Hikken, quiet." Stoick snapped.

"No! She's not going to go back! Not like this!" Hikken stood up in front of her as though he was shielding her from...something, "I'm not letting her!"

"You have no say in the girl!" The doctor snapped back, "All you did is pick her up off the streets! Disgusting habit, mind you! What if she's some Prostitute? Would you have still given her your clothes and taken her into your parents home?" Hikken didn't answer, he shrunk about two inches. Of course he would had given her a jacket, maybe not take her home but-

The girl growled something to Valka. Valka said a short sentence, gestured to her, then stepped back from the doctor. Both Hikken and Stoick exchanged nervous glances. The American Girl huffed, stalking slightly lopsided to the Doctor. The doctor looked like her was about to puke.

"_Fuckingdamnprick_!" She yelled and punched the doctor square in the nose. She continued to yell for a short while, pointing to Hikken then to Stoick then at Valka-who was thoroughly enjoying the scene. Hikken caught the door opening out of corner of his eye. His friends where all trying to look inside. The doctor promptly got up and stumbled almost drunkardly towards the door. Hikken signaled his friends to move out of the way while the Girl continued to shout. She faked a lunge towards the doctor, growling and threatening him (no doubt), the Doctor ran out of the house faster than Hikken has ever seen. He looked over to the girl in shocked amazement, but his smile quickly faded. The girl faltered, coughing viciously into her hand. Hikken suddenly found himself next to her, trying to keep her up right. He barely registered the flash if red as she wiped one her hands on her still-soaked jeans and mumbled something to Valka.

"Yes," Valka replied cautiously.

"_Good_." then she crumbled to Hikken's feet.

Valka sighed. Hikken has spent four days in the kitchen, staring into his mug. She drums her fingernails on her own mug as her son stares blankly into his. _This is getting too much_! No one has seen him move from his seat since Stoick kicked Hikken out of guest room where the Girl was staying...The Girl. Their lives have already turned and she wasn't even conscious. The doctor went and told the tabloids about Stoick Haddock's son bringing home a girl off the street (though he was smart enough to not call her a prostitute), and the phones have been ringing so much that Valka tugged every single one of them out of their wires.

What where cell phones for, anyway?

There where a few times that the girl woke up, and Val was barely able to give her some broth because the poor girl was too weak to even sit up! She shuddered. She's never seen someone so sick before, and Hikken's sheltered life hasn't helped. This was affecting him negatively. Her son hasn't eaten.

_How can a mother function knowing that her baby doesn't want to eat?! _

"Hikken," she said. He gave no acknowledge, Hikken continued to stare into his cup...was there anything in there?

"Hikken, come on now." she tried, setting her mug on the countertop. "This is getting too serious…" no response. "i havent seen you move in four days…Have you slept at all?!" Valka might have seen him blink just now. "Hikken!" she yelled, earning her husband's attention from the dining room. Stoick, in need for a distraction from the tabloids, entered the kitchen.

"He hasn't moved?"

"I'm this close to slapping him."

_Thunk._

_Boom._

_Cratsh. _

"What…?" the small family jumped at the noise, Stoick and Val looked to the direction where the crash came from, "Upstairs!" Stoick whispered and pointed up.

"If its the damn paparazzi again…" Valka growled, remembering the small group of photographers that had attempted to break into the house a few days ago. Hikken's sunken eyes glanced around the room as he listened, everything was disturbingly silent. Almost as though sound had never existed.

"It was something…" Stoick started, stepping forward and leading his family carefully to the staircase.

"Wait." Valka pulled back her husband sharply before he turned the corner, "What if its-"

there was a bounding and a whimper coming from the top hallway.

"...T-Tannlaus?" Hikken called out hesitantly. There was a small bark and more whimpering, And Hikken's stomach turned cold "Tannlaus! Get away from my dog!" Hikken yelled at what ever was up there and started to race up the steps when the large, three-legged, black animal greeted him at the top, barking and turning in nervous circles. Hikken paused, looking back at his mother. She shook her head and looked back to the large dog, who was continuing its nervous panting and spinning. "Tannlaus, what is it?" The wolf-like creature turned and ran away from his owner, spun again, and ran back. "What's wrong?" The dog quickly ran off and turned to down to the hall that could be seen from the bottom floor. He whimpered and yipped, then laid down. A weak groan came from where Tannlaus was. Hikken felt his heart drop as he and his parents came to where Tannlaus led them. The dark mahogany wooden tabled had its front leg broken, the vase with dead christmas flowers was shattered, and the water had turned the once clean floors a wet grey color as it soaked the blonde messy braid and filthy clothes of the unconscious American girl on the floor. Tannlaus whimpered, laying his front over the girl and nosing the back of her neck and head. For a moment, the family stood completely still, then, she whimpered. The american girl attempted to push herself up but she immediately dropped back down, Tannlaus yipped in her ear and whined as he tugged on her hair.

Hikken was the first to snap out of it. He knelt next to her and gently sat her up by her shoulders. "Easy, easy," he said softly when she protested, "No one's going to hurt you…" Tannlaus wedged his head under the girl's arm. She moved her arm and gently fingered the dog's ear, mumbling in english. Hikken looked to his mother, who was slowly crouching in front of them. The girl continued to mumble.

"She's completely delirious," Valka whispered holding her hand out to the girl's face, the girl looked on as if she wasn't there. "_Oh god_." she whispered in english. Hikken grew nervous.

"What is it? What's wrong with her?"

Stoick timidly stepped forward and picked her up

"Dad, what are you doing…?"

Stoick went down to the furthest room in the hall, pushed open the door, and set her on the bed. Valka walked up next to husband. "What do you suppose could have happened?"

"My guess is that she finally woke up…"

"No, really," His wife growled. Tannlaus pushed his way into the room jumped on the bed. He quickly turned three times and settled his warm head on the girls stomach. The grown ups looked at the dog curiously. "Seems like he's comfortable with her," Valka smiled.

"And all this time he was with her, I thought Tannlaus was just sleeping in Hikken's room." Stoick chuckled.

"Dear, this is Hikken's room…"

"I know," Stoick said with an eye roll, earning a playful backhand on the , meanwhile, had made his way into his room and sat carefully on the bed, scratching Toothless' head and practically gazing at the girl's pale face.

"...Best if we wait for her to wake up again, until then, she'll need to get out of her clothes."

"Her suitcase was stolen, Mom," Hikken said, not looking away. The girl started shivering.

"Yes yes, she told me that." Valka thought for a moment, and the girl coughed. "Crap, Hikken! Out of the room! Out Out!"

"Mom-!"

"The last thing we need is for you to fall sick with this…" Stoick lead his son out of his room, "At least until she's strong enough…" And with that, the door closed for another four days.

Astrid couldn't move. Not that she really wanted to, anyway. Her entire body felt like a giant weight and she could barely move her head. Astrid groaned and tried to push herself up onto her elbows, she collapsed and gasped. She didn't even have enough strength to sit up! Astrid felt her throat sting and her chest tighten, another coughing fit! Astrid's head shrunk down to the size of nail head and with each choke it felt as though her body was being pounded on by the worlds largest hammer! She was cold, achy, and her stomach felt like she had a thousand sit ups! But then, suddenly, Astrid couldn't breath, and Astrid found herself in the hallway for help..._Hallway_? It didn't hit Astrid till now that she had no clue where she was! This didn't look like home, and it sure as hell didn't smell like home! Was she in another foster house? No, she's eighteen, she's not under foster care anymore.

Astrid felt like a lead weight in water, and even just looking around seemed too exhausting. She gripped her sore fingers around something smooth and cool, pushing all of her weight against it. Astrid was completely lost and she will admit, very frightened. She could breath, but only barely, and she didn't know where she was and she couldn't remember what had happened to her- to be honest she couldn't remember anything. The railing made a steep turn down, and Astrid's body followed the unexpected change in surfaces as she fell down the stairs. rolling, somersaulting, then suddenly flying and a violent crash to wooden floors. Astrid gasped, completely unsure what had just happened. The first thing she thought of was her getting stuck in a riptide, but she wasn't near water. None the less, she couldn't catch her breath, or move at all. Her head pounded, there was a bump on her eyebrow that started to feel hot and the right bottom corner on her lip felt cold and wet.

Then, there was a light. It wasn't a light that came from a lightbulb, no. this was a white-golden light. One what brought the fresh smell of rain and warmth. _Warm_. Astrid felt something warm pick up her face and hold her cheek. She heard voices. She wasn't alone. And she closed her eyes.


End file.
